The Japanese combat arts group known as the ninjas had its origins in the 15th century. They have been the focus of numerous mythologies and are still a mystery to many. The group was initially established to carry out a range of covert operations, including murders. It is magnificent to watch their acrobatic fighting maneuvers, and the weapons they use add to the excitement and drama. Movies about ninjas beyond Japan sometimes overstate their abilities for dramatic purposes. There are many ninja-themed movies, and this genre of film has huge followers.

The ninja mythology took off in the 1970s and 1980s, and the directors found success by fusing the finest elements of American and Japanese popular culture. The action scenes and spy dramas are quite popular with the crowd. While numerous films, ranging from the American Ninja to the Ninja Assassins, have attempted to depict the action scenes and fighting styles of ninjas. But what if viewers focused on watching only the top ninja films ever made? Here is a list of a few of the top ninja films ever produced. So grab some popcorn and enjoy your ninja experience.

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8 The Killer Elite (1975)

     Entertainment Film Distributors (United Kingdom) / Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures (Australia)

Two friends and paid killers, Mike Locken and George Hansen, work for a business linked to the CIA. But, George flips against Mike and breaks his elbow and shoulder after receiving a higher deal from a rival. After receiving extensive physical therapy, Mike goes back to work and, ironically, sees himself protecting a client that Hansen and his clan are getting paid to kill. It’s a good film and a significant moment for fans of ninjas because it was among the first popular American motion pictures to portray shadow killers in a practical style.

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

7 Shinobi: Heart Under Blade (2005)

     Shochiku

When Lord Hanzou instructs the Shinobi fighters of the Koga and Iga tribes to live peacefully after over four centuries of fighting, they hide in the woods and mountains to prevent violence. Subsequently, when the Lord of the Lords worries about preserving the peace in his realms, his advisor comes up with a plan to fight their top combatants and eliminate them. Koga Gennesuke and Iga Oboro become lovers in the meantime. Following the murders of Gennesuke’s father and Oboro’s grandma, they are compelled to command their troops in the decisive clash of the Shinobi factions. Even though it’s all incredibly theatrical and sad, it sticks to its epic aesthetic and has battle scenes with new ideas.

6 Ninja III: The Domination (1984)

     MGM/UA Entertainment Co.

Following Enter The Ninja and Revenge of The Ninja, the third movie in the unconnected series is titled Ninja III: The Domination. The plot involves a woman forced to conduct martial arts killings without her choice by the ghost of a deceased ninja. It is a weird blend of ninja and exorcism movie clichés. James Hong, a Chinese exorcist, offers to assist, but Kosugi, a virtuous ninja who could drive out the devil through traditional fair combat, is eventually responsible for making things straight. Even within the ninja subgenre, there is nothing comparable to the movie.

5 The Octagon (1980)

     American Cinema Releasing

The 1980s ninja blockbuster The Octagon tells the story of Scott James, a senior martial arts master chosen to guard the affluent and stunning Justine when she is targeted by a ninja gang. Scott is keen to settle disputes after learning that his vicious arch-enemy McCarn is working with the sneaky and deadly thieves. Scott is eventually engaged in combat with McCarn and the ninja legion in an endeavor to eliminate them. The film, which is frequently regarded as starting the ninja trend in limited-budget ’80s action movies,’ is a wonderfully fun action film with outstanding ninja moments while having a generic narrative.

4 You Only Live Twice (1967)

     United Artists

One of the best James Bond movies and also one of the best ninja-focused action films ever made is You Only Live Twice. The plot of the film centers on the alleged kidnapping of an American spacecraft by a Russian spacecraft. James Bond, meanwhile, sets off on a mission to investigate the reason for it after learning that SPECTRE is to blame. The action scene where 007 leads a legion of ninjas to attack the volcano lair is one of the top Bond climax action scenes. Owing to Roald Dahl’s work on the adaptation, the film also includes one of the best screenplays.

3 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990)

     New Line Cinema

The movie was the original and led to the making of a series of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movies. A weird nuclear slime in New York mutates four sewage turtles into speaking, vertical, crime-fighting ninjas. The sage rat Splinter teaches four turtles in the sewers of New York, the techniques of ninja combat after they come into contact with a peculiar slime and change into intelligent mutants. The storyline makes it interesting by leaving it to the brave turtles to bring an end to a nasty rebel ninja who has sowed chaos throughout the city after being a previous Splinter pupil. The film ranks among the top ninja flicks and has fairly strong action components. The series has some of the best villains and is definitely an interesting watch. It is also one of the best live-action movies adapted from popular ’80s cartoon shows.

2 Ninja: Shadow Of A Tear (2013)

     Millennium Films

The most exciting Western martial arts film is Ninja: Shadow of a Tear, a true ninja masterpiece. Casey Bowman, a combat expert, desires to have a family with his expectant wife, Namiko. Unfortunately, when she is murdered by a gang of robbers, Casey quickly embarks on a brutal vengeance mission. But just as Casey thinks he’s got his man, an unexpected turn shows that his battle is not over yet, and he can’t trust anyone. The vengeance plot of the film serves solely to set up the gruesome and expertly staged ninja battle scenes.

1 The Five Element Ninjas (1982)

     Shaw Brothers Studio

During his super-epic, magnificent Guignol era, filmmaker Chang Cheh, known as “The Godfather of Hong Kong Cinema,” made one of his most brilliant movies. A group of five ninja squads out for vengeance is stalking the pupils of a Chinese martial arts academy after their master executes a Japanese opponent in battle. The tactics and combat styles of the teams are inspired by the elements of Fire, Earth, Water, Gold, and Wood. The film features a few of the most breathtaking action scenes. The masterful twenty-minute grand finale where the Kung-fu pupils defeat all five elements groups using a barrage of brand-new weapon methods, will blow your minds.